Fringing machine having a needle and cooperating guide structure of noncircular cross section



July 21', 1970 G. 02201.0 ,5 8

FRINGING MACHINE HAVING A NEEDLE AND COOPERATING GUIDE STRUCTURE OF NONCIRCULAR CROSS SECTION Filed May 22, 1967 3 Sheets- Sheet 1 Fig. l

Filed May 22, 1967 ly G. n o zzoLo 3,521,583

' FRINGING MACHINE HAVING A NEEDLE AND COOPERATING GUIDE STRUCTURE OF NONCIRCULAR GROSS SECTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 G, B. POZZOLO FRINGI'NG men: an GUIDE STRUCT 0F Filed ma 22, 1967 NONCIRCU CRO ING -A NEE E AND COOPERA SS SECTIO 3 5 3,521,583 EING heats-Sheet 5 United States Patent O US. Cl. 112-64 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A threading needle and cooperating guide structure in a fringing machine which automatically form fringes in a fabric, the cross-sectional shapes of the needle and its cooperating guide structure being noncircular so that the eye of the needle is maintained at a constant axial orientation when the needle is driven through the fringes in order to tie them together and prevent their unrolling.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to fringing machines and relates more particularly to a new and improved needle for threading a string through the fringes formed by a fringing machine in a fabric before the fabric is removed from the machine, so as to prevent the fringes from unrolling.

In previously known fringing machines, a system of combs and countercombs performs the separation of the warp threads into groups and a twisting action is thereafter applied to each of the thread groups to thereby form the fringes. In order to prevent the formed fringes from 'losing their twist by unrolling as the fabric is removed from the machine during the final stages of the finishing treatment, a thin string is threaded through these fringes by means of a string-holder needle guided by suitable guide members. As presently practiced, this threading is advantageously accomplished by first driving the needle through the fringes, across and beyond the entire width of the fabric, then inserting a string into the eye of the needle, whereupon, during the backward travel of the needle, the string is pulled through the fringes and, hence, prevents them from unrolling.

Heretofore, however, a needle has been used having a circular cross section and hence, irrespective of the guiding system employed, the needle always attains some degree of rotation 'on its axis. This rotation of the needle occurs particularly in the case of machines having a large width and also with the increasing wear of the needleguides.

The aforementioned rotation of the needle is highly disadvantageous and, in practical effect, prohibits automatic insertion of the string into the needle eye, or other catching member, as the latter becomes oriented in undeterminable directions. Further, in the case where the catching member of the string is loop-shaped, it may damage the fringes, as well as the needle itself, during the backward travel. In the case of fringing machines of large width, and especially in the case where automatic threading is desired, it is essential to prevent rotation of the needle.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved threading needle for use in a fringing machine, which is capable of threading a string through the fringes produced in a fabric by a fringing machine and which maintains a constant axial orientation so that the eye of the needle, or other catch- 3,521,583 Patented July 21, 1970 "ice ing member, is always positioned at the same axial location.

Objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in part herein and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention is directed to a new and improved needle construction for use in threading a string through the fringes formed in a fabric by a fringing machine, so as to tie the fringes together and prevent their unrolling as the fabric is removed from the machine.

According to the invention, the needle construction is non-circular in cross section and the preferred embodiment is a square shape. Other polygonal shapes are also contemplated, as well as rounded shapes having major and minor axes, such as ellipsoids. By such a construction, the needle is prevented from rotating about its longitudinal axis and the eye or other catching member of the needle is maintained at a constant axial position, thereby permitting automatic threading of the needle.

The needle construction of the invention also provides for the needle to be constructed from two sections, a long body section and a forward tip section, which are joined together by clutch means for easily replacement of the tip section in the event of damages or excessive wear.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory 0f the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, illustrating the body section of a threading needle constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1A-1A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, illustrating the forward terminal section of the needle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a view in end elevation of the forward terminal section of the needle illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly schematic and partly in section, illustrating the actuating and guide system for threading the needle shown in FIGS. 1-2 through the fringes produced by a fringing machine;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse sec- .tional view of a typical tooth of the comb member,

illustrated schematically in FIG. 3, which groups the fabric threads prior to their formation into fringes, the view illustrating the polygonal needle guiding groove, shaped so as to correspond to the cross-section of the needle embodying the invention, and the opening for disengaging the string threaded onto the needle;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse sectional view of a typical tooth of a comb member previously known in the art; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the threading needle shown in FIGS. 1-2, illustrating clutch means connecting the body and forward tip section of the needle.

' 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 a long resilient rod, comprising the threading needle, advantageously subdivided into a needle body section 1, having a length approximately equal to the width of the fringing machine, and a forward terminal section .2, the latter comprising a tip 3 and a string catching member herein preferably embodied as an eye 4. The body and forward section of the needle are advantageously linked together by clutch means, more fully described hereinafter, which allows quick replacement of the needle forward section 2, in case of damage thereto, due to wear or accidents.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided in a threading needle for a fringing machine for maintaining the needle at a constant axial orientation so that the string catching member thereof is always positioned at a constant axial location.

As here embodied, the immediately aforementioned means comprises providing the needle body, and the corresponding guide means, with a noncircularly shaped cross section, thereby preventing axial rotation of the needle.

Advantageously, and as illustrated in the drawings, the needle body is a square polygon in section. Also advantageously, the longitudinally extending edges of the square needle body are chamfered so as to permit easier pene tration of the needle through the fringes and also to prevent the fringe threads from being cut.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings, the threading needle of the invention 1, 2 is shown in a fringe threading application. Thus, the needle 1, 2 is arranged so as to pass through suitable guide members 9, 10, indicated schematically, and through the comb 5, also indicated schematically, of the fringing machine (not shown).

In accordance with the invention, driving means is provided for driving the threading needle through the guide members and comb, and also the fringes produced in the fabric carried by the fringing machine. As here embodied, this means comprises two couples of friction wheels 12, 13, actuated by a motor 14, all of the foregoing being indicated schematically.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the passageways in the guide members 9, 10 and comb 5 must have a shape corresponding to that of the threading needle 1, 2. This is best seen in FIG. 4, which illustrated an enlarged transverse sectional view of the upper edge of a typical tooth 6 of comb 5, the tooth having a squareshaped guide passageway 7 therein.

It is also pointed out here that the square polygonal shape for the needle 1, 2 and the comb and guide members is further advantageous over the previously known circular shape in that, upon lowering of the comb in order to disengage the fringe tieing string (not shown) from the comb through the vertical slot 8, there is eliminated the possibility of the string snagging on the edge formed between the passageway 7 and the slot 8 (see reference numeral 11 in FIG. 5).

As previously mentioned, the body and forward sections 1, 2 of the threading needle of the invention are advantageously linked together by clutch means. As illustrated in FIG. 6, this clutch means is here preferably embodied in a simple joint 15, formed by a pair of opposed, overlying portions 16, 17, each having mating threaded bore holes extending therethrough, whereby the two sections are integrally joined together by screws 18.

It will be apparent that, where the fringing machine is of a large width and/or the fringes are compactly formed, it is necessary to impress high penetration forces on the needle. It has been found that a needle having a square cross-section has the further advantage of being capable of receiving thrusts at least twice greater in force than a needle having a circular cross section of equal area.

Other advantages of a polygonally-shaped cross section for the threading needle of the invention are that such shapes are readily commercially available and the guiding system may be easily constructed, both of which factors contribute to a lower cost of production.

While the foregoing description has been directed to the preferred shape of a square for the threading needle cross section, it will be understood that all noncircular cross sectional shapes as, for example, ellipsoids, or other polygons, such as a rhomboid, are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a fringing machine for automatically forming fringes in a fabric which includes comb means for separating the fabric threads into bundles to be formed into fringes and needle guide means, and wherein a needle is adapted to be driven through said guide means and comb means so as to pass transversely through the entire width of fringes formed in the fabric and thereby thread a string through said fringes so as to prevent their unrolling upon removal of the fabric from the machine, the improvement therein which comprises:

means for preventing rotation of said needle about its longitudinal axis, including,

said needle having a noncircular cross sectional shape, and each of said guide means and said comb means having passageway means shaped so as to correspond to the cross sectional shape of said needle.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the improvement further includes said needle having a body section and a forward tip section and clutch means connecting the two sections together.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the cross sectional shape of said needle is a polygon.

4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the cross sectional shape of said needle is curvilinear and has a major axis and a minor axis.

5. The device as defined in claim 3, wherein said cross sectional shape of said needle is square.

6. The device as defined in claim 4, wherein said cross sectional shape of said needle is ellipsoid-a1.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 295,612 3/ 1884 Bailey 223-102 460,582 10/1891 [Kahnes l12-224 XR 1,868,711 7/1932 McDougall 1l264 1,935,121 11/1933 Harmon 112-224 2,541,543 2/1951 'Perhacs 223102 2,712,213 7/1955 MacDonald 571 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,225 1864 Great Britain. 856,988 11/1952 Germany.

RICHARD 'J. SCANLAN, JR., Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 112 222; 57 1 

